Step Follows Step
by RAHbooks
Summary: As Orihime prepares to leave for Hueco Mundo she contemplates how her current situation parallels the main character from her favorite book. One-shot.


_**The Two Princesses of Bamarre**_ **is one of my favorite books, and I reacently realized that the reason for that was the same as the reason for Orihime being one of my favorite charecters in Bleach. The parrallel between Orihime and Addie's chartecter developement gave me the idea for this little scene and it wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it. There are some minor spoilers for** _ **The Two Princesses of Bamarre,**_ **but it doesn't give away the ending or anything too major. Most of it you would get off the back cover.**

Step Follows Step

Orihime set down her pencil after finishing her letter to Toshiro and Rangiku. She sighed and looked around her apartment wondering if she would ever see it again. She stood and slowly walked around looking for something, anything to bring with her. Just one small reminder that this life had been real. Ulquiorra had not said she could not bring anything, but he had not said she could, so it would be best to choose something she could hide. It was nearly impossible to choose, everything from what she already thought of as her old life seemed precious now.

She stepped into her bedroom and stood in the doorway a moment, taking it in, then crossed to her bookshelf staring at the rows of colorful spines. Some were falling apart from multiple readings. One she had read so often that she had replaced her worn paperback with a hard-back copy. She pulled the slender volume off the shelf and ran her fingers over the familiar cover.

 _The Two Princesses of Bamarre_ , by Gail Carson Levine. Orihime had first read it shortly after her brother's death. It had helped her get through that difficult time and she had revisited it often. The story was told from the point of view of the younger, timid, Princess Adelina who was constantly being protected and comforted by her older sister, Meryl. When Meryl contracted a mysterious and fatal illness known as the Grey Death Addie reluctantly left the safety of the palace to search for a cure. Orihime was struck by how similar her current situation was. Like Addie she was the one who was always protected, and now she too was leaving home to save the people she cared about. She suddenly couldn't imagine leaving it behind. It would remind her of home and give her hope that she could find her courage just as Addie had.

She reached back and slipped the book halfway under the waistband of her skirt and pulled her sweater down to hide it. Maybe the Espada wouldn't notice or care. Thinking of those cold, green eyes staring at her she realized the later was more likely.

She chose to say her goodbye to Ichigo. Choosing just one of her friends had not seemed possible, but she knew she had to tell him how she felt, even if he could not hear her. She might not get another chance.

After leaving his house she knew her time was nearly up and she should start heading for the meeting point. She felt to make sure her precious book was still safely tucked away. One of her favorite parts was when Addie had been captured by a dragon and held in its lair. Even with her own life in danger she had not stopped trying to find a cure for her sister. Orihime could only hope to be as brave. And so, with a few lines from the book ringing in her mind she set out to meet her own dragon.

Step follows step.

Hope follows courage.

Set your face toward danger.

Set your heart on victory.

 **So I'm working on a Bleach/Artemis Fowl crossover series that will eventually involve some flashbacks to Orihime's time in Hueco Mundo. Should I include some scenes with her reading her book, and maybe how one or two Arrancars react to it (Ulquiorra being the most obvious possibilty since he spent the most time with her)? If your interested in the crossover it's called "Colliding Destinies: Lost" and I'm also posting it tonight. The things from Artemis Fowl will be explained in the story so you don't have to worry about being familiar with it, though there will be spoilers.**

 **Thanks and Prayers,**

 **RAHbooks.**


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